After innumerable meetings, of all sizes, sponsored by many varied
community groups, is there anything left to say about fire in Bonny
Doon? Yes! The RBDA's September general meeting will bring together
several experts to talk about the context of fire in Bonny Doon, the
lessons learned from the County's early season fires, and what
residents can do to recover from “our” fire and prepare for the next
one. The program is intended to tell us how we can simultaneously
preserve our unique natural setting while protecting our community from
fire.

Angela Bernheisel (nee Petersen) of Cal Fire and Rich Casale of the
Natural Resources Conservation Service have agreed to speak and we have
invited a representative of the California Fire Safe Council.

Bernheisel runs the Vegetation Management Program for the San Mateo
& Santa Cruz counties unit of Cal Fire (www.fire.ca.gov ) and is familiar
to many of us as the go-to gal for Cal Fire's chipping and clearing
assistance.

Casale is the District Conservationist for the USDA Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) serving Santa Cruz County on the Central
Coast of California (http://stage.rcdsantacruz.org/).
He
will show slides and provide information on both post-fire and
pre-fire Dos and Don’ts and other valuable considerations regarding
fire safe landscaping, soil and slope issues, NRCS services and site
assessments, etc.

The California Fire Safe Council (www.firesafecouncil.org/)
is a coalition of State and Federal agencies, fire departments,
environmental organizations, insurance companies and other private and
public organizations supporting local Fire Safe Councils. The mission
of local Fire Safe Councils is to educate residents and landowners, to
coordinate volunteer efforts, and to obtain grants in order to mobilize
Californians to protect their homes, communities and environments from
wildfire. The Pineridge neighborhood already has its own small Fire
Safe Council. We hope that this meeting will raise awareness and help
the Bonny Doon community reach the critical mass necessary to organize
a broader Fire Safe Council covering the whole of Ben Lomond Mountain.

After two years of court proceedings and negotiations over UCSC's
future growth plans, all existing lawsuits brought against UCSC by the
City and County of Santa Cruz, the citizens group Coalition for
Limiting University Expansion (CLUE), the Rural Bonny Doon Association,
and 11 individual litigants have been settled. Significant concessions
were won from UCSC that will help mitigate the impacts of UCSC growth
in the areas of traffic and housing students on campus, and in
providing for community input into future growth plans, particularly on
the undeveloped Upper Campus. Still, this settlement falls short of the
(near impossible) objective of eliminating the negative impacts of UCSC
growth on our community and environment.

The State Constitution exempts UCSC from local land use regulations.
The lawsuits charged that UCSC’s Environmental Impact Report for its
2005-2020 Long Range Development Plan violated CEQA (the California
Environmental Quality Act). Santa Cruz Superior Court Judge Paul
Burdick ruled that the EIR was inadequate in the areas of water,
housing and traffic. The section on environmental impact mitigations
was deemed to be CEQA compliant. Burdick ruled against CLUE in its
contention that CEQA requires the Regents to do an EIR when deciding
how much growth to assign to the 10 existing campuses, or whether to
build a new one. If the court accepted this, it could have had a major
impact on all UC campus growth plans, which several other host towns
are chafing about.

Under community pressure before the lawsuits were even filed, UCSC cut
back its expansion plans from 21,000 to 19,500 students by 2020. CLUE
tried unsuccessfully to negotiate this figure lower, but it did get
UCSC to house hundreds more of its new students on campus, and limit
increased traffic to the main campus by nearly 2,000 trips. UCSC also
agreed to use a variety of means, including ride sharing and more
support for public transit, to further reduce traffic. Nonetheless,
when you add in the thousands of new vehicle trips on the Westside that
will come from UCSC’s expansion of its Marine Sciences campus at
Terrace Point, its Ranch View Terrace housing project on campus, its
facility on Delaware Avenue, the recently approved 2120 Delaware
commercial/residential development, and an enlarged Safeway and New
Leaf, it’s hard to imagine how bad traffic may eventually be on Mission
Street and other Westside arteries.

The settlement also calls for 700-800 more students to be housed on
campus than UCSC would have otherwise, but Santa Cruz’s meager housing
stock will still be gobbled up by more students, making rents even less
affordable.

On the brighter side, we are guardedly optimistic that UCSC now
recognizes that there is strong community opposition to the problems
caused by its growth, and that it will genuinely make more efforts than
it ever has to mitigate the impacts of its growth. More importantly,
the settlement agreement is a legally binding contract that will
require UCSC, and the City, to make much greater efforts to improve
roads and public transit and work to reduce student impacts on
neighborhoods.

Ongoing Cemex Plant Mercury Monitoring

No question that mercury is scary. It's a neurotoxin: exposure can
affect mental acuity and motor coordination. It isn't good for your
kidneys—among other organs—either. Mercury exposure is especially a
concern for children, whose developing nervous systems and brains are
most vulnerable.

Emissions from burning coal contain mercury. (In fact, the effluent
from burning fossil fuels, especially coal, is the largest source of
atmospheric mercury.) Cement plants, which burn a lot of coal, produce
substantial airborne emissions. So, finding out how much mercury the
Cemex plant puts into the air and what level of exposure is safe is
important for Davenport residents and, to a lesser extent, for Dooners.

The Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District (Air District),
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Office of
Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA, a part of the EPA,
California's toxics agency), are working on answers to these questions.
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which started the
testing, is very interested too.

First, the question about safe exposure levels. In an effort to protect
children from any potential damage, the OEHHA has proposed revised
standards for both acute exposure, which is the average amount of
mercury found in the air during one hour "peak" periods and is used to
measure exposure during extraordinary emission bursts, presumably when
something goes wrong at the plant, and for long term exposure, which is
the average over a year-long period. (In their cautious statistical
language, the OEHHA is “reasonably confident” in both cases that the
standard number, and anything below it, is “safe” for children.) The
existing standard for acute exposure is 1800 nanograms per cubic meter
(ng/m3); the soon-to-be-adopted standard is 600 ng/m3. The existing
standard for long-term exposure is 90 ng/m3, the proposed one is 30
ng/m3, so the new standards will cut the allowable levels by
two-thirds. Miriam Rotkin-Ellman of the NRDC's health staff comments
that these new numbers incorporate the “latest science,” and are “a
very positive step.”

Last summer, as part of its checking on cement plants, the NRDC
recorded mercury levels in the Davenport air with a hand-held device
and reported their findings to the Pacific School and to the Air
District. Since the Air District doesn't own the very expensive
equipment necessary for definitive testing, Ed Kendig, the Air
District's Compliance Division Manager, asked the EPA to come and
monitor the effluent from Davenport's Cemex plant.

The EPA trailer was parked outside the Pacific School last October and
again, to capture summer winds which can push the exhaust stream to
ground level, from May to mid-August. Kendig notes that the Cemex plant
has had the most extensive testing of any in California.

As of press time, unfortunately, only raw data had been received from
the EPA. In addition, the annual average for long-term exposure cannot
include times when the Cemex plant isn't operating, and as yet the
plant hasn't reported its down dates. Then the numbers must be
analyzed. Meanwhile, on a very preliminary basis, Ed Kendig has shared
some information.

While there are surely repeated spikes during the EPA testing period,
the highest hourly (acute) average of mercury in the air was a little
under 200 ng/m3, and even the strongest burst didn't come close
to the OEHHA's new, lower standard of 600 ng/m3.

The annual average calculated from the EPA's two-and-a-half month
monitoring period is 3.5 ng/m3 , making it improbable that Davenport's
long term mercury exposure level could approach the proposed OEHHA
standard of 30 ng/m3.

Miriam Rotkin-Ellman points out there may be concerns beyond what the
final, analyzed numbers bring out. For instance, the EPA's trailer
remained stationary throughout the testing period. Although location
near the elementary school is clearly desirable, could other places in
Davenport, many of which have experienced more pungent odors during
Cemex emission events, have reported higher peak readings?

Other questions remain, too. How long does ingested mercury remain in a
human body? What happens to mercury released into the air? Likely
deposits include dust and sediments, and mercury has been found
in Davenport soils, more downwind than upwind, as you'd expect. The
levels measured do not pose a hazard for humans to handle, but what
happens when winter rains flush mercury into the ocean, and fish absorb
them?

When the raw data have been analyzed, the Air District will present the
findings to the North Coast Association and the Cemex Citizens'
Committee. We'll make sure that Dooners are informed, so that all of us
can attend these events. And ask questions.

Board Nominations Coming

It’s time to consider nominations for membership to the RBDA Executive
Board for four positions that expire this January. Board members Ted
Benhari, Jodi Frediani, and Tom Hearn’s terms will all be up, as
will the position that Yana Jacobs vacated that has been temporarily
filled by Miriam Beames through Board appointment. As per the Bylaws,
the board appoints people to vacancies created until the next annual
election, which takes place at our January meeting.

The Board was delighted that Miriam agreed to help out. She served so
capably on the Board from 1998-2004, and since then has remained active
in Bonny Doon affairs, including the RBDA Nominating Committee and the
Eco Reserve.

The Executive Board will appoint a committee of three or more persons
to nominate candidates to the Board; the committee will present its
nominations at the November General Meeting. Nominees to the Executive
Board must have been a member in good standing as of November 1. Since
the Bylaws state that membership becomes effective 30 days after an
application is submitted and dues are paid, anyone wishing to run for
the board must be a member or have submitted an application by October
1. Additional nominations will be accepted from the floor at the
November meeting, after which nominations shall be closed.

The RBDA, which has protected the quality of life in Bonny Doon for 50
years, depends on people willing to serve on the Executive Board. If
you are committed to our community and the RBDA mission of keeping
Bonny Doon rural, please contact any of our Board members (see phone
numbers below, or email us via the link at the bottom of this page) to
discuss what’s involved.

Aerial view of the Martin fire looking out over
Moon Rocks to the SE - photo by Jodi Frediani

Plans Begin for Future of Ecological
Reserve

State Assemblyman John Laird convened a meeting on Aug. 12 to plan for
the future of the Ecological Reserve. RBDA Board members Miriam Beames,
Jodi Frediani and Jan Hilkert attended, along with Supervisor Neal
Coonerty and representatives from the Dept. of Fish and Game, Cal Fire,
PG&E, the Sheriff’s office, State Senator Joe Simitian’s office,
the California Native Plant Society, the UCSC Arboretum, the Sierra
Club’s Santa Cruz Group, Sandhills Alliance for Natural Diversity, the
Nature Conservancy, the Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation
District, and the Ecological Reserve Docent Program. Bonny Dooners
Marilyn Hummel and Val Haley (both former RBDA board members)
represented the Sierra Club and the Ecological Reserve Docent Program,
respectively.

It was exciting to see the number of people concerned and involved, and
it pointed up the many issues to be addressed and the need for
coordination between the various groups. Discussions centered on
trespassing, rebuilding the fencing, biological monitoring and research
(including native plants and invasive species), habitat restoration,
fire prevention and fire breaks, and funding for these projects. Many
in attendance stressed the need to complete the Management Plan (still
unfinished nearly 20 years after Fish & Game was donated the land
by the Nature Conservancy), which should include a Fire Plan and
Vegetation Management Plan.

Chuck Armor from Fish & Game requested input on how long the
Reserve should remain closed. The consensus seemed to be the longer the
better (until next spring possibly) to give the Reserve a chance to
recover.

Five subcommittees were formed to address immediate, mid-range and long
term needs: fencing, trespassing, biological monitoring and research,
funding and fire suppression and recovery.

Flag saved from
the Hellenthal Station - photo by Jodi Frediani

Hot Topic: Fire District Hearing
Set for Sept. 22

At long last LAFCO will hold a public hearing on the Bonny
Doon Fire
Team’s application to separate from the Santa Cruz Fire Dept. and form
its own district.

A petition signed by more than 60% of Bonny Doon voters was turned over
to LAFCO, the Local Agency Formation Commission, nearly two years ago,
asking it to consider the merits of the Fire Team’s proposal. At
present our all-volunteer Fire Team works under the direction of the
California Dept. of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), with which
the County contracts to provide fire protection and emergency services
in the unincorporated parts of the county that don’t have their own
districts. Cal Fire operates four stations, the closest two in Felton
and Swanton, but budgetary problems have forced staffing reductions
this year.

The Fire Team says that formation of a Bonny Doon Fire District will
achieve faster emergency response times, full-time staffing of a local
station, better training, recruitment and retention of volunteers, and
keep taxes paid by Bonny Doon property owners for fire protection here
in Bonny Doon. County officials, on the other hand, are concerned that
the loss of Bonny Doon tax money will harm fire and emergency services
on the rest of the North Coast, which has a small tax base because it
is sparsely populated and much of it is owned or will be soon by
tax-exempt agencies like State Parks and the Bureau of Land Management.

LAFCO’s long-time executive director, Pat McCormick, will issue a
public study of the situation a week to 10 days before the Sept. 22
hearing, which will run from 7 to 10 pm at the First Congregational
Church at 900 High St. in Santa Cruz. The meeting is open to the public
and comment is invited, both in written form before the hearing and at
the meeting itself.

County Fire’s ongoing challenge to provide quality fire and emergency
services has been under study by the County Administrator’s office and
area fire officials for years, and various solutions have been
suggested, including a redistricting that would require the independent
districts like Felton and Boulder Creek to be responsible for their
adjacent rural areas. In addition, the County Grand Jury recently
criticized the way fire services are structured and overseen.

LAFCO has several options open to it, including: granting Bonny Doon
its own district; recommending that a Bonny Doon/North Coast district
be created; rearranging Cal Fire personnel and equipment to better
serve Bonny Doon; or maintaining the status quo.

Any new district would still have to be approved by 2/3 of the property
taxpayers who live in that district.

Fire fighters at the Command Center at the BD
Airport - photo by Jodi Frediani

1. Miriam Beames was appointed to the Vice Chair position on the RBDA
Board, to finish out Yana Jacobs’s term.
2. Jodi Frediani, Miriam Beames and Jan Hilkert
volunteered to attend the Aug. 12 meeting called by State Assemblyman
John Laird, to discuss planning for the future of the Ecological
Reserve. The Board authorized them to strongly recommend that the Dept.
of Fish and Game finalize the Ecological Reserve Draft Management Plan,
and that it include a Fire Plan, before habitat restoration and fire
suppression work is begun. RBDA will send letters to John Laird,
Supervisor Neal Coonerty, State Senator Joe Simitian and Bill Monning,
candidate for State Assembly, stating this position.
3. Voted to accept the settlement between UCSC and the County, the City
of Santa Cruz, the RBDA and CLUE, regarding UCSC’s expansion plans.

Bonny Doon's voice in preserving our special quality of
life,
The Highlander, is mailed free to Bonny Doon residents prior to
the
RBDA General Meetings, which are usually held on second Wednesdays
of
January, March, May, July, September and November.
We encourage you to participate.

Send mail correspondence to the Highlander Editor at the
above
address,
or by email, below.

If you live in or own property within this district, roughly
from Empire
Grade to the ocean and from San Vicente Creek to the City of Santa Cruz
border, you are eligible to be an RBDA member.

Please support the RBDA!
Dues payments count for a full year from date received.
Dues mostly go for printing and mailing The Highlander,
your voice for keeping Bonny Doon rural and natural.
Those who make additional contributions qualify as: